Australia on Verge of Historic Decision to Recognise Aborigines as First People of Continent
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Australia is poised to make historic changes to its constitution recognising Aborigines as the first people of the continent and removing the last clauses permitting racial discrimination by the state.

Proposals presented on Thursday would ask Australians to approve a clause recognising that Aborigine and Pacific islanders were the first occupants of the land mass. A second clause prohibiting racial discrimination would override measures that allow the authorities to intervene on the grounds of races.

Only eight of 44 referendums have been approved in the 111 year history of the Australian Commonwealth. The last successful nationwide vote was held in 1967.

A report unanimously adopted by a panel of 19 experts was endorsed by Julia Gillard, the prime minister, who pledged to put the amendments to a vote before the next general election expected in 2013.

The prospects for change were bolstered by support from Tony Abbott, the Opposition leader, who said he would support any measure that did not amount to a Bill of Rights.
Ms Gillard said Australia was "big enough" to back changes.


"It is the right time to say yes to an understanding of our past, to say yes to constitutional change, and to say yes to a future more united and more reconciled than we have ever been before," she said. "It is going to require each and every one of us involved in politics to find it in ourselves to be our best selves, to advocate this case for change with the maximum degree of unity." » | Jonathan Pearlman, Perth and Damien McElroy | Thursday, January 19, 2012